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Prison Labor

An incarcerated man, wearing a gray sweater and blue pants, places a basket of harvested turnips onto a cart. Prison farm workers, wearing blue uniforms, are standing in a field in the background.
Closing Argument June 22
The New Battle Over an Old Institution: Forced Prison Labor
Inside the latest legal and legislative efforts to close state constitutional loopholes that allow slavery as punishment for a crime.
By
A portrait of a Black man with a gray beard in a blue prison uniform is on the left panel. On the top right panel, the Black man mops the floor of a hallway. The bottom right panel shows a bucket and mop next to a table with a copy of the Quran and a copy of "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," a document of 136 working hours, a donation envelope of $17.74, and yellow gloves.
Life Inside April 5
I Made 13 Cents an Hour as a Prison Janitor. Here’s Why I Donated My Wages to Gaza Relief
It’s a common misconception that once someone enters jail or prison, they lose their interest in the outside world.
By Hamzah Jihad Furqaani as told to
A man, wearing a blue prison uniform, white T-shirt, tan cap, and glasses, holds onto two yellow bins in front of an industrial ice cream machine.
Closing Argument February 3
The Food on Your Table, Brought to You By Prison Labor
Incarcerated workers help produce some of America’s most popular food brands, but get few of the benefits and protections afforded to others.
By
An illustration shows various scenes of life in prison, including talking on the phone about money, viewing a commissary balance on a computer, brushing teeth, taking a shower, lining up for food and eating in a cafeteria. Throughout the illustration are images of peanut butter, ramen, coffee and toothpaste. An arrow made of dollar bills points upward across the illustration.
News May 2, 2023
Why Inflation Price Hikes Are Even Worse Behind Bars
An additional “tax” on commissary goods means incarcerated people are paying far more for staple items like peanut butter and soap, a Marshall Project analysis found.
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Left, a man wearing an olive green Nike-branded hooded sweatshirt and an olive green Yankees hat; right, a Black woman with braided hair is wearing earrings and a plum-colored shirt.
Inside Story February 9, 2023
Prison Labor, Low Wages and the Side Hustle
Incarcerated workers turn to side hustles to survive. On the outside, comedian Luenell reflects on her time behind bars — and in show business.
By and
A light-skinned person, wearing a red hat and blue jacket, casts their ballot at a voting booth. An electronic voting machine can be seen on the left, in a different voting booth.
Closing Argument November 12, 2022
7 Key Criminal Justice Takeaways From the Midterms
Sheriffs. Prosecutors. Abortion and slavery amendments. Here’s what you should know about this week’s results.
By The Marshall Project
In this Jan. 18, 2011 photo, inmates at William E. Donaldson prison in Bessemer, Ala., return to their cells after completing meditation classes. Vipassana is a meditative technique that dates back 2,500 years to Gotama Buddha. Vipassana courses are held four times a year in the prison gymnasium, where as many as 40 inmate volunteers meditate 10 hours a day and live for the duration. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
News October 6, 2022
Alabama Said Prison Strike Was ‘Under Control.’ Footage Shows System in Deadly Disarray.
While prisoners protest unsafe conditions, “it just doesn’t let up,” say advocates.
By
Prisoners stand in line at Elmore Correctional Facility in Elmore, Ala., in 2015. Thousands of Alabama prisoners began a work strike this week to protest poor prison conditions.
Closing Argument October 1, 2022
What an Alabama Prisoners’ Strike Tells Us About Prison Labor
Exploitation of incarcerated people isn’t limited to lockups. Voters in some states have a chance to curtail it.
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Life Inside August 4, 2022
Prison Money Diaries: What People Really Make (and Spend) Behind Bars
We asked people in prison to track their earning and spending — and bartering and side hustles — for 30 days. Their accounts reveal a thriving underground economy behind bars.
By
Inside Out September 2, 2021
Some prison labor programs lose money — even when prisoners work for pennies
Officials claim programs provide skills, but critics say there’s little evidence.
By
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